Vanilla & Thyme Cookies

When it comes to baking, I am one of those people who like to have immediate results; sure, it may take hours, but at the end of the day, you have a finished product. In order to make myself stretch a little as a baker (and as a person), I decided to try the recipe for Vanilla & Thyme Slice & Bake Cookies by A Beautiful Mess. Now the recipe says you can chill the cookies for a mere two hours, but since overnight was the optimal time, it seemed like the perfect place for me to start.

For the cookies:

1 cup softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 vanilla bean

1 teaspoon thyme leaves, plus more for decorating

1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

First, cream together the butter, sugar, and the seeds from the vanilla bean. To remove them just slice the bean down the center, and then use the tip of your knife to scrape the seeds out. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the thyme and egg and whisk together until well incorporated.

Then stir in the flour and salt until a dough ball forms. You may need to use your (clean) hands to press the dough together here. Roll the dough into long cylinder, cover in plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. You can keep this frozen in your freezer for at least a month (probably longer).

When you are ready to make cookies, remove from the freezer and allow to sit out for a few minutes while your oven preheats. Then slice into 1/4 inch or slightly thicker rounds and place on a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper.

Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a cooling rack.

In the meantime, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the cooled cookies into the glaze, then place back on the cooling rack to allow excess glaze to drip off (put some wax paper underneath for easy clean up). If you are feeling fancy (remember, we are going for real life Martha here), you can decorate the tops with a few thyme leaves as well.

Notes:

This recipe was a winner for me. Personally, I’d skip the glaze if I was making them for just myself, but if you are a big fan of sweet, the thin vanilla glaze really does give you that little something extra. Plus it makes for a prettier cookie if you top it with the fresh thyme leaves.

Texture-wise, these cookies are much more like a shortbread than your the average slice and bake you get from the grocery store. They also don’t bake up in the expected manner. It sounds strange, but they “dry out” rather than expand and bake. So you have to watch them a little more closely. I baked for the minimum recommended time and then checked on them every two minutes afterwards until they were done.

About Julie

My name is Julieanna Bucior, but I go by Julie (unless I’m in trouble). I’m thirty one. I am a bookkeeper by day, rogue fashion designer/crafter/amateur baker by night. I spend most of my time feeling like a kindergartner trapped inside an adult’s body. I love reading, hanging out with my crazy cats and being silly. I’m pretty much the girl next door, with a twist.